Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe, one of the NBA's rising stars, had successful surgery to repair cartilage in his right knee Friday.

No timetable was given for Bledsoe's return but the team said in a news release that he "will pursue a possible return to action during the second half" of the season.

The belief is that Bledsoe suffered some damage to the meniscus in his right knee in a Dec. 30 game against his former team, the Los Angeles Clippers.

Bledsoe has sat out of the Suns' last four games for a sprained knee, the team announced this week.

Originally drafted at No.18 in 2010 by the OKC Thunder and traded to the Clippers, Bledsoe has emerged as a Most Improved Player candidate since being shipped to the Suns. This season Bledsoe has averaged 18.0 points, 5.8 assists and 4.3 rebounds in a surprising 21-13 start in Phoenix.

Bledsoe is the latest in a line of athletic NBA guards to suffer a knee injuries. Previously, Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook and others have gone down with meniscus injuries.